Each day, it seems as though new, handheld electronic devices are introduced; cell phones, PDAs, pagers, Blackberry devices up to laptop computers are continually updated with new models. For the “early adopters,” it is somewhat of a point of pride to have the very latest technology. It is an expression of their individuality.
Yet, there is a problem. One person's brand new cell phone looks much like another's cell phone. Potentially, the wrong device could be inadvertently taken. It also undermines the uniqueness of the device and the self expression of the user. This problem has been addressed to a degree in the case of some of the most popular cell phones by a multitude of add-on faces, for example. These faces are typically plastic and come in a wide variety of colors and designs. Other more crude, handmade ways of making one's handheld device have been witnessed by the inventor, e.g., smiley face stickers. These known solutions tend to be static and, beyond the function of identification, tend not to convey very much information.
While there a great number of colors, there are not as many colors as there are users. Furthermore, changing the appearance of the devices requires an investment in time and effort and possibly expense on the part of the user, which must be invested each time the appearance is to change.
Thus, it would be desirable if a easy, dynamically modifiable way of personalizing handheld devices could be developed. Further, it would be desirable if the method of personalization were capable of conveying dynamically changing information.